Changeable sign



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Aug- 29, 1950 F. E. NEWMAN 2,520,648

CHANGEABLE SIGN Filed May 18, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IlllllllIl-lll] E E INVENToR.

Ferris E. Newman ,v/L Cp OLJVq Md- ATTORNEY I Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHANGEABLE SIGN Ferris E. Newman, St. Clair Shores, Mich.

Application May 18, 1946, Serial No. 670,798

1 Claim. l

This invention relates to signs and particularly signs employing characters removable and replaceable to establish selective combinations thereof.

An object of the invention is to mount a plurality of sign characters in forwardly spaced relation to a mounting plate to thus increase the visibility of such characters by reflected light, 4and to adapt a marginal portion of such plate to hold the characters assembled in the form of numbers or other indicia.

Another object is to marginally form Said mounting plate with a forwardly offset channel receiving said characters, and to provide concealed means for securing the characters in such channel.

Another object is to slot the rear wall of said channel to receive fasteners for clamping the sign characters against such wall.

These and various other objects are attained by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- 1n:

Fig. 1 is a front view of myimproved sign.

Fig. 2 is an end View of the same.

Fig. 3 is rear view of the sign.

Fig. 4 is a front view of my improved sign, in a modified form.

Fig. `5 is an end view of the modification.

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the same.

In these views, the reference character I designates a substantially rectangular plate formed of sheet metal or other suitable sheet material. The lower margin of such plate forms an upwardly opening channel 2, and the plate is offset as indicated at 3 just above said channel, so as to forwardly space the channel from the main area of the plate. The channel serves as a holder for a plurality of individually formed characters 4, these being illustrated as digital numbers. Each character is formed, preferably integrally with a base 5, slidably fitting in the channel and elongated lengthwise thereof. Each character 4 is clamped against the rear wall of the channel 2 by a screw 6 headed against said wall, and preferably said wall is longitudinally slotted as indicated at l to accommodate the several screws 6. Any suitable provision may be made for securing, the plate l to a wall or other support as by apertures 8 formed in the upper corner portions of the plate to receive screws or the like (not shown).

Spacing of the sign characters forwardly from the plate I gives sharper definition to the characters, and adds materially to the appearance of the sign, particularly when the characters are formed of translucent material as a suitable plastic, through which light is reflected from the plate. Preferably the exposed face of the plate is white enameled and the characters are formed of quite dark translucent material. To facilitate regeling el the sign in absence or illumination.

2 either the characters or a coating applied to the plate may be of a phosphorescent nature.

The described sign is particularly suited to display house numbers, and is also well adapted for display of names or any other desired matter comprising numbers, letters, or a combination thereof.

In the modifications shown by Figs. 4, 5 and 6, a mounting plate la is formed with channels 2a and 2b respectively at its top and bottom edges, such channels opening toward each and lbeing similarly offset, as indicated at 3a, forwardly from the plate. Sign 4characters 4a and 4b are secured respectively in the upper and lower channels, projecting toward each other in forwardly spaced relation to the plate la, the upper characters being shown as forming a house number and the lower characters forming a name. Embedded in each character is a nut 9, and each nut is engaged by a bolt 6a tted in a slot 'la formed in the rear wall of the correspondingl channel, the heads of said bolts bearing against the rear faces of the slotted walls. In this modified form, my improved sign conveniently provides for upper and lower combinations of numbers, names, or Words.

What I claim is:

A sign comprising a mounting plate forming at its upper and lower margins U-shaped channels opening toward each other, such channels being similarly forwardly offset from the plate, a set of sign characters fitted in the lower channel and upwardly projecting from such channel in forwardly spaced relation to the plate, and second set of sign characters fitted in the upper channel and downwardly projecting from such channel in forwardly spaced relation to said plate, and fasteners releasably securing each set of sign characters to the corresponding channel and resisting sliding of the characters in the channels.

FERRIS E. NEWMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,271,804 Thurnell July 9, 1918 1,587,966 Le Fevre June 8, 1926 1,668,805 Findlater May 8, 1928 1,861,599 Gstalder June 7, 1932 2,125,687 Peebles Aug. 2, 1938 2,276,114 Sture Mar. 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 118,656 Australia May 26, 1943 716,445 France May 2, 1931 189,277 'Switzerland May 18, 1937 

